Well drilling rig



Jan. 1l, 1938. c. w. MaqKAY WELL DRILLING RIG Filed April 4, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 `INVENTOR Es WMAf KAY BY i una ATTORNEY Jan. 11, 1938.

C. w. MacKAY 2,105,091 WELL DRILLING RIG` Filed April 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQR L CHARLES WMACKAY ATTORNEYv Patented Jan. 11,1938

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wmpammo are charles w. Mroxay, Tono. oklo. Appliooiion April 4, 193s, serial No. 12.706

' s oloims. (c1. 255g-4),

This invention relates to apparatus for drilling oil wells and the like, and more particularly to a mechanical arrangement for locating the power plant for the drilling. closely adjacent to the drill itself so that the power plant 'and the drill' progress together into the hole. f

I purpose to discard the customary method of sinking a pipel into the hole, with the drilling tool xed in relation to the wbottom extremity ofthe pipe, and employing-the pipe with the function of a shaft for rotating the tool by power applied at the top of the pipe. According to my invention, the pipe is held against rotation andsupports the power plant at the bottom of-the hole.

advantages are derivable from the use' of an embodiment of this invention.

In the drawings, Fig. 11s n largely diagram.

matic section on a vertical plane indicating the drilling apparatus during a boring operation, and

some of the more or less conventional operating mechanism on the surface of the ground.

Fig. 2 is adetail `section on a. horizontal plane on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.l

Fig. 3 is a. side elevation of a gang' of electric "1' motors mounted on a chassis near the bottom of the engagement of the crossliead` I2 in the guide- Hoisting gear il, is attached' to the upper end of theA pipe I3 'so' the well pipe and constituting. the power plant ior rotating the drilling tool.v

Flgs."4, 5, and 6 are horizontal sections on thev top part of the well pipe I3 and holds it against rotation. This may be effected in any practical manner, as by having gripping jaws encircling the well pipe I3, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the crosshead I2 and thepip'e I3 are held rigidly in fixed relation while vertical movement is permitted, and rotary movement is prohibited, by

' ways of the timbers III Aand Il.

that the latter is suspended and may be lifted and lowered by the illustrated hoisting engine.

The indicated mud pumpis connected by the p iping I5 to the upper end of thewellxpipe 13.

' The intake pipe i6 ofthe pump with a sump (not shown) into whichthe mud overflow passes from the pipe I1, leading from .the catch pit at the head of the hole.

The pipe I3, held against rotation as described. extends down into the hole, and near its lower 5 end it supports a power plant which, in the illustrative organization, comprises a plurality of 'support .for these motors comprises a flange 23 welded on the pipe I3 and bolted to an underlying cap piece 24 shaped as shown in Fig. 4 to prol vide recesses 25 to receive the upper ends of the respective motor housings. The cap plate 24 is welded to the upper extremityof a chassis 26, shown in horizontal section in Fig. `5, which is preferably a forging having a recessed pocket for 20 each of the motors in which the motor is seated and held by straps 21 attached to the forging, the

'motor housings being held against rotation, as

by set screws 28.

As shown in Fig. 7,- the lower end of the chassis .25' 2B is provided with an annular flange 30, upon which rests the lower end of each motor and through which the motor shafts, project. 'Ihus the motors are housed, and are confined at the top by the cap plate 24,\at the bottom by the flange 35 30 on the chassis 26; and they are held laterally by the straps 21. y l

Secured .tothe lower end of the chassis is a pipe 32 supplying in eifect an extension of the bore through the center of the chassis. The up- 35 per end of this pipe 32 may be threaded into the chassis, as shown in Figure '1, and then provided with awelded bead 33 for securely integrating the pipe 32 to the chassis 2B. '.lhe pipe 32 supplies not only a conduitfor the down-fiowof the.dri1i 40 ing mud, as presently described, lbut also serves as a non-rotatingshaft upon which are mounted successive elements of a reducing item' mechanism fo'r reducing the speed from thatof themotor shafts to such speed as is desired for the rotation cfthedrillingtool. t j

f In varying applications ot my linvention to suit different purposes' and conditions, Il may select from a wide range 'of characteristics'of current and motor design. i sone illustration. '50

lumier rome conditions il; would terreni-able to employ a.v three-phase alternating: current within-- quency range 'of 5 to 20. cycles'per second. cur-2 i rent o ftllis #We oouldbesupplied at the-site by lio its.,

a motor generator set (not shown) receiving onv its intake side such commercial current as is available, and delivering on its output side the; 5 alternating current of a voltage, phase and fre quency appropriate to the particular motor del sign. One practicable type of motor design would :80 and rotates with the latter. The lower end of deliver within the range of 300 to 1200 R. P. M., which would be reducible to a tool speed within the range 40 to 100 R.. P. M. It is to beL understood that the specifications just stated are merely illustrative and there is a considerable range of choice as to the particulars mentioned, within the skill of those experienced in this art. The controlling desideratum is'that the selected current and motor design, and the reduction gearing, be determined for the economical consumption of electrical power and a minimum loss of power through reduction gears, eventuating inthe application' of adequate power to rotate the tool at practical working speeds. f

The electrical power is preferably fed to each motor by a separate cable 34 secured by bands or straps to the pipe I3 as indicated inFig. ,1. Each motor shaft 35 has mounted on it a pinion 38 which meshes with a gear 31 formed upon a hub 38 having an annular flange 38. Ihe hub 38 rotates on the non-rotating pipe 32. In the flange 39 are mountedthree shafts 48, corresponding respectively to the three motors: Each shaft 40 carries at its lower `end apinion 4l. These three pinions 4I have a planetarymovement about the axis of the pipe 32. The pinions 4I all mesh with a ring gear 42 fixed upon the interior of the cylindrical shell of this gear mechanism; As presently described, this shell is fixed to the chassis 28 and is therefore nonrotatable. Hence, the ring gear 42 is non-rotatable. 'I'he pinions 4| engage not only the flxed ring gear 42 but also the gear 43 on a hub 44 which rotates on the pipes 32. The gear ratios ,are such that the planetary rotation of the pin ions 4I ,drives the gear 43 at a speed less than the speed of rotation of the gear 31. A oating ring bearing'45 is interposed between the hubs 38 and 44. The hub 44 carries a ilange which in turn carries shafts for additional pinions engaging an additional ring gear 48, and meshing with another gear 41 on still another hub and driving the latter at a further reduced speed. Similar units may be multiplied for reducing the speed through any desired range. Finally'. the drive rotates a hub 88 having aflange 6I, bearing upon a corresponding iiange 82, upon a cappiece 81 which closes the lower end of the shell for the gearing. i

This shell consists of a cylinder 85, the upper end of which nts over the depending rim of the ange 38 and is welded thereto so that the shell et in erect is suspended from the chassis ze. The

cap 81 `is threaded on to the lower end ofthe shell 88 and is spot-welded thereto. Bolted to the cap 81 is a packing keeper 88 providing a .packing gland 18. The interior of the shell 88 .isto besupplied with grease preferably intro- "duced under pressure through the aperture closed by the `plug 1I.

The hub ylilfwhich is the nal driven element 'of the described gearing, projects downwardly 'through ltlfeicap 81 and past the'packlng gland 18, and upon its lower end is threaded a toolattaching 80 secured in place by welded bead 8l. .d 88 supplies' the means of i driven-hub 88 pf whatever drilling tool ,isemployed At the' lower'l end of .-bead 84.

ground.

83, which is also secured in place by a welded The ferrule 83 has an annular oblique face, as indicated in Fig. 7, which bears against the roller thrust bearing 85, which is interposed between the ferrule 83 and the hub 86 which carries the tool. The hub 88 is bolted to the head the hub 86 carries the drilling tool 81, which may be threaded onto the hub 88 and secured in place by a welded bead 88. The tool 81, of any desired rotary type, has a suilicient maximum diameter to drill a hole vsomewhat larger than the maximum diameter of the power plant and gear shell to allow for vthe upiiow of -mud and excavated material, around the exterior of the apparatus.

According to conventional practice in the art, the maximum cutting diameter of the drilling tool may be determined vby reference to the intention to insert casings into the' hole.

The hub 88 and the tool 81 have the axial bore 88 which communicates with the bore of the pipe 32 so that there is in effect'a continuous hollow conduit from the top-of the pipe I3 through that pipe, the chassis 26, the pipe 32 and thence downward to the lower extremity of the tool 81. As already stated, the mud pump indicated in Fig. 1 forces the mud downwardly through this continuous conduit and outwardly in the vicinity of the tool, whence the mud is forced upwardly, outside the drilling apparatus, and through the drilled hole tothe surface of the This forced flow of the mud may perform a particularly important function, in the application of this invention, in that it tends to :I

act as a cooling medium, and to aid in keeping the motors and gearing from overheating. 'Ihis result is enhanced by the combined downow of the mud through the axial hollow conduit in direct contact with the metal piping which itself would take up a considerable portion of the heat generated by the motors, and then further by the upward ow of the mud surrounding the apparatus again in direct contact with the exterior of the gear shell and the motor housing.

According to conventional practice well known in the art, there will be provided at so'me points on the pipe I3, preferably where it is accessible above the surface of the ground, the elements of a measuring and indicating mechanism to l .tion of excessive loads on `the drilling tool.

This subject matter, however, is no part of the present invention and is considered unnecessary to be shown in the drawings.

The illustrative form of the apparatus shown in the drawings may be readily assembled, and disassembled, for repair or replacement of parts. Where welded beads are employed for integrating the dierent parts, they may be removed by a suitable torch and replaced according to ordinary shop practice.

It is to be understood that the particulary embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings and described above is only illustrative; and that the invention may be variously embodied in di'fferent forms employing wide variations of me-` chanical detail.

I claim:

combination, a sectional well pipe constructed to extend from the surface of the ground continuously to the vicinity of the bottom of the hole, and to supply a substantially rigid unit throughout its length, to resist both torque and thrust to aid in the drilling operation; means at the surface of the ground for holding the well pipe against rotation; means also at the surface of the ground for raising. lowering and suspending the pipe and regulating its downward thrust and the effect thereof on the drilling operation; means also at the surface of the ground for forcing iluid downwardly through the pipe; 'a

, plurality of electric motors mounted upon the pipe near its lower extremity, with their rotor axes parallelwith each other and with the axis of the pipe, said rotor axes being spaced from the axis of the pipe and disposed with geometric symmetry around the axis of the pipe; a drilling tool rotatably mounted at the lower extremity of the pipe; speed reducing mechanism driven by said motors collectively for rotating the tool at a speed substantially less than the driving speed of themotors; the mounting of the motors upon the pipe providing substantially continuous metal heat conduction from the vicinity of the motor fields to the' interior of the well pipe, and the motor casings being at least partially exposed to the external upflow of fluid forced through the lower extremity of the well pipe; the non-rotating well pipe, the motors and their current supply'cables, the reduction gearingand the drilling tool comprising an integrated organization extending throughout the length of the hole and movable upwardly and downwardly, through handling at the top of the hole, as a structural unit.

means at vthe surface 'of the ground for holdingV the well pipe against rotation; means also at the surface of the ground for raising, lowering and suspending the pipe and regulating its" downward thrust and the effect thereof on the drilling operation; means also at the surface of the ground for forcing uid downwardly through the pipe; a plurality of electric motors mounted upon the pipe near its lower extremity, with their rotor axes parallel with each other and with the axis of the pipe, said rotor axes being spaced from the axis of the pipeV and disposed with geometric symmetry around the axis of the pipe; a drilling tool rotatably mounted at the lower extremity of the pipe; speed reducing mechanism driven by saidv motors collectively for rotating the tool at a speed substantially less than 'ing the driving speed of the motors; the non-rotating well pipe. the motors and their cables, the reduction gearing and the drilling tool comprisvan integrated organization extending throughoutl the length of the hole and movable upwardly and downwardly, through handling at the top of the hole, as a structural unit.

1 3. A well-drilling apparatus comprising, in

combination, a sectional well pipe constructed to extend from the surface of the ground continuously to the vicinity of the bottom of the hole, and constructed to supply a substantially rigid unit throughout its length, to resist both torque and vertical thrust and to supply a heavy downward thrust to aid in the drilling operation; means at the surface of the ground for holding the well pipe against rotation; means also at the level of the ground for raising, lowering and suspending the pipe and regulating its downward thrust and the effect thereof on the drilling operation; means also at the surface of the ground for pumping fluid downwardly through the pipe; a plurality of electric motors mounted upon the pipe near its lower extremity, with their rotor axes spaced from the axis of the pipe and disposed' with geometric symmetry around the axis of the pipe; a drilling tool rotatably mounted at the lower extremity of the pipe; and speed reducing mechanism driven by` said motors collectively for.rotating the tool at a speed substantially less than the driving speed of the motors.

4. A well-drilling apparatus comprising, in combination, a non-rotating well pipe; means for-raising, lowering and suspending the pipe;

means for pumping fluid downwardly through the pipe; a plurality of electric motors mounted upon the pipe 'near its lower extremity, with their rotor axes parallel with each other and with the axis of said pipe, said rotor axes being spaced from the axis of the pipe yand disposed vwith geometric symmetry around the axis of the pipe; a drilling tool rotatably mounted at the lower extremity of the pipe; and speed-reducing mechanism driven by vsaid motors collectively for rotating the tool at a speed substantially less than the driving speed of the motors.

5. A well-drilling apparatus comprising, in combination, a non-rotating well pipe; means for raising, lowering and suspending vthe pipe; means for pumping fluid downwardly through the pipe; a gang of three electric motors mounted upon the well pipe near its lower extremity with their rotor axes parallel and spaced 120 apart; a drilling tool rotatably mounted at the lower extremity of the pipe; and speed-reducing mechanism intermediate said motors and the tool for'rotating the latter at a speed substantially less than the driving speed of the motors.

CHARLES W. MACKAY. 

